Identifying Current Viral Illnesses and Circulating Diseases: A Guide
Looks like a lot of Americans are starting off the New Year ill. According to the latest government health data, 40 states reported high or very high levels of illness last week. Illinois and several other Midwest states are under the “high” category. But which viruses are hitting people hardest right now? “A lot of flu out there,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Carrie Reed. The most recent CDC hospitalization data and other indicators show that the flu virus is trending higher than the other germs, Reed said. Several seasonal flu strains are driving cases, with no dominant one, she added. Pediatric hospitals have been busy since November with RSV, but “influenza has now joined the party,” said Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious diseases specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Of course, there are a number of bugs that cause fever, cough, sore throat, and other flu-like symptoms. One is COVID-19. Another is RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which is a common cause of cold-like symptoms but can be dangerous for infants and the elderly.
**Hospitals Stressed Over Spike in Viral Illnesses**
“Usually we see that big admission rate really pick up like a week after all the holidays. So usually we see it into January, but currently right now, I will tell you all, you know, ERs, urgent cares are really kind of busting at the seams,” Dr. Whitney Lyn, lead family medicine physician at Sengstacke Health Center of Provident Hospital, told NBC Chicago on Monday. Lyn called the rate of admissions “alarming.” Add to it that norovirus is spreading rapidly in parts of the U.S., including the Chicago area, and hospitals are stressed, some experts said.
**Symptoms of Current Viruses**
COVID
As of now, the symptoms for COVID remain the same:
– Cough
– Sore throat
– Runny nose
– Sneezing
– Fatigue
– Headache
– Muscle aches
– Altered sense of smell
– Congestion
– Fever or chills
– Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
– Nausea or vomiting
– Diarrhea
Earlier reports had centered on potential gastrointestinal symptoms related to the virus. Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, a scientific consultant for the CDC and epidemiologist, said “gastrointestinal issues including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea” have been previously identified as possible symptoms of COVID-19. Dr. Chantel Tinfang, a family medicine physician with Sengstacke Health Center at Provident Hospital of Cook County, noted at the time that many of the cases she saw reported less of the fever, body aches, and chills and presented more with sore throat, fatigue, and coughing.
**RSV**
People infected with RSV usually exhibit symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected. The most common symptoms are:
– Runny nose
– Congestion
– Decrease in appetite
– Coughing
– Sneezing
– Fever
While RSV typically causes a mild, cold-like illness, it can also lead to severe illness such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Other symptoms of severe cases include wheezing, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing, and a bluish color of the skin due to lack of oxygen.
**Flu**
Flu can cause mild to severe illness and could potentially lead to death. Some of the most common symptoms include:
– Fever or feeling feverish/chills
– Cough
– Sore throat
– Runny or stuffy nose
– Muscle or body aches
– Headaches
– Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
**Norovirus**
Along with vomiting and diarrhea, the most common symptoms include nausea, stomach pain, body ache, headache, and fever. One other thing to watch for if you suspect you have norovirus is dehydration. “If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill and vomit or have diarrhea many times a day. This can lead to dehydration (loss of body fluids), especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses,” the CDC noted. Symptoms of dehydration include decreased urination, dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up, crying with few or no tears, and unusual sleepiness or fussiness.
**Other Viruses**
There have also been reports of strep throat and whooping cough. Investigators have been closely watching another kind of influenza virus, the Type A H5N1 version of bird flu. The CDC says 66 human U.S. cases of that were reported last year, but none of them in the last week. The cases are “fairly sporadic” and the overall risk to the public remains low, Reed said. Almost all have been traced to direct contact with infected animals, with no proof of spread between people.
